Simply Perfect
by Ashe Corinthos
Summary: "There's… There's mistletoe. So… kiss me?" -Two days after Christmas on their birthday, Rin and Len finally put their feelings into a simple, beautiful action- a kiss underneath the mistletoe. Birthdayshot, lenrin.


_It's getting really cold, isn't it?_

Shivering a little, Rin moves across the room to the fireplace, reaching a delicate hand out over her favorite set of candles and lighting them one by one. Within moments, the room is filled with the sweet spice scent of cinnamon.

She inhales the beloved fragrance, letting it wash over her and put her mind at ease. In the background she has a few of her favored piano tunes playing near the living room window, the player highlighted by the moonlight shining in from outside, the effect heightened by the ever-falling snow.

Making her way to the kitchen, she inspects the cupcake she'd frosted by hand just a few moments before. Made with red velvet and topped in luscious cream cheese frosting like he enjoys, she'd scrawled ' _Happy Birthday to Len and Rin'_ in orange.

She'd made it mostly for him. To watch a smile blossom over the handsome features of her best musical partner, her mirror image- and her best friend.

Also known as the person she loves with all her heart, and forever will.

She's loved him years, really. Ever since the day they became partners, the first moment she laid eyes on him, and met the cerulean gaze that collides with her sapphire. They've shared their lives together, live as roommates. Sure they fight at times, as arguments aren't hard to come by between them when it comes to something they're passionate about- but they've never allowed anything to come between them before.

Even if she doesn't tell Len her feelings outright, Rin likes to believe he already knows. Maybe, he also returns them. That itself would be a fine, belated Christmas present.

Her roaming eyes crest over the interior of their shared home. It's not a very large place- an apartment located on the third floor of an ancient building. Yet she calls it home, and even took to decorating it since it's their first year staying in a house together. It was him that proposed the idea of living together, and she was eager to agree. She hasn't regret it since- coming home every day either beside him or with him waiting for her there, sometimes after one of his new baking exploits so she can try a new recipe. Calling out to a home always filled with soft light, and hearing his response no matter where he is.

To her, it's a small piece of heaven.

She toys with the wrapping surrounding the cupcake a moment, recalling just a few days ago when they'd had their friends over for a Christmas party. The laughter ringing through the small but lively home, the clinking of glasses and the unwrapping of exchanged gifts. She'd bought Len the ultimate collector edition of Final Fantasy XV, the game at the top of his wishlist, and he'd been ecstatic. He'd hugged her and kissed her cheek, effectively sending warm tingles under her skin in reaction. In return, he'd given her a darling silver treble necklace that she hasn't dared remove since that day.

Now she can sit back, eying the twinkling lights she'd strung up along the walls to add to the festive cheer of the holidays. It gives her a nice sense of relaxation, and she'll add to it with the quiet celebration between the two of them that signals their shared birthday.

There hasn't been a single year they haven't spent their birthday together. She hopes deeply that it never, ever changes.

Tapping her fingertips against the tabletop, she glances at the clock. Twenty minutes to midnight- she's completely lost track of time. And Len himself has been scarce most of today, surprisingly. In his room, most likely playing a game on his laptop or working on that new song he's spoken so highly of. He did promise he'd be out soon, though…

Wandering to the doorway of the kitchen, she calls out in a light voice, "Len? Hey, can you come here?"

It takes a moment, but a muffled reply reaches her ears. "Yeah- yeah, gimme a sec."

Sighing to herself, Rin leans against the entrance, the wall digging into her shoulder blade a bit until she shifts uncomfortably. Waiting for him to appear so they can share the cupcake she gave him.

A minute passes, then two. Five, eight- until she's wondering if he'll really make it before the clock strikes twelve. Her fingers reach up to play at the necklace she adores that constantly reminds her of him, and a frown tugs at her lips.

A sudden noises alerts her to his approach, and she moves to see if he's there- and they nearly bump noses as he makes to cross through the entry. She catches herself just in time, and he sees her in just the right moment as not to crash together, both of them jolting to a stop in surprise.

Rin scans over his form. His normal ponytail is a bit disheveled, most likely from him constantly running his slender fingers through it with frustration or concentration. Clutched in his hand against his chest is a small sheaf of papers. His glasses are slightly skewed atop the bridge of his nose- a change from his usual use of contacts.

(She never forgets to razz him about how he's barely more than two inches taller than her, as well.)

"Oh- sorry, Rin," Len says sheepishly, reaching with his free hand to rub the nape of his neck. "Did you wait long?"

"Huh? Oh, um, nah." Her gaze flickers from the papers, up to his face again. "Were you busy…?"

"Me? No, no- I mean, well kind of, but…" He smiles that half-smile that screams shyness that she loves. "I couldn't miss our birthday, right? Which… about that…"

Is it her, or is that the faintest dusting of red across his features? She can't make it out in the faint kitchen light and the sparkle of the string lights.

He pushes the papers in his hand toward her, holding it before her with care.

"...For you. For your birthday- I made it for you."

"What…?"

Gingerly she takes the papers, glancing down at them. It's… sheet music, for a piano. Along with lyrics, and the name of it-

Her heartbeat skips and swells in her chest, beating with more force than before as she drinks in the melody's title.

 _Rin's Lullaby._

"You wrote this for me?" she asks in surprise, not expecting a present. They usually just take turns baking the cake or sweet treat for the day, and call it even with that. Gifts are reserved for Christmas alone, so this comes as a real shocker.

"Yeah. I wanted to create something special for you," he says sincerely. "We've been singing together, making music together for so long… I really wanted to give this to you."

Her heart is threatening to burst from her chest with the rapid pace, the happiness welling up. "It's beautiful. I can't wait to hear it played," she tells him genuinely, and watches as his expression shifts into relief. "But… I only have one problem."

"What?" He blinks, confused. "What's wrong?"

"I don't have anything for you!" She makes a face, frowning visibly. "I don't have time now to get you anything. I'm sorry."

Len pauses, staring at her. His eyes gaze into hers behind his black frames for a full minute with bafflement, before glancing up above them, the blue orbs widening before shifting away. This time she absolutely can't mistake the red cresting his cheeks.

"I… well, um. There's… There's mistletoe above us. So… kiss me?" The words are so faint she nearly misses them- but the seriousness in his tone and the years of hearing his voice are enough for her to catch it completely and let them fall over her with weight.

...Kiss him?

A bit disbelieving for a moment, her gaze trails its way above them- and in some miracle, a bit of mistletoe sits above them, pinned to the doorway. She doesn't remember ever putting it there- actually, she's certain she didn't. It might've been one of their friends who'd left it there for a good laugh during the party, but now it hangs above her and Len like a blessing.

She waits for a moment, maybe for him to tack on something else at the end of such a serious request. Something like, ' _but you can kiss my cheek'_ , or ' _just kidding'_ , that would indicate the joking aspect of it and release her from it- but those words never come. Instead, his eyes again find hers, cobalt blue and shining, focused on her.

...If that's what he wants, she really doesn't have any will to protest.

Without saying another word, she pushes herself on her tiptoes- he may only be a couple inches taller, but she still feels short when near him- closes her eyes, and softly presses her lips against his.

His mouth is perfectly shaped against her own, just as she expected. She applies just a bit of pressure, savoring the moment for all it's worth since she's dreamed of this day for years. For this one moment, the first time she'd ever feel the full silkiness of his lips.

There's a second of hesitance on his part, she notices- but then it disappears. He presses back, gentle and chaste as ever, and her heart flutters in her chest almost painfully.

They separate after a second, but it lasts only a sliver of time before he leans in to tenderly capture her lips again. There is no move on his part or hers to deepen the kiss; it's simply perfect the way it is, their mouths gently slanting together to meet, his own warm up against hers. His hand reaches up to grace his fingertips along the ridge of her jaw, and she feels his bangs brush her face with feather-light contact.

This fantasy-turned-reality, piece of heaven- this is the best present she could ever receive. She'll have to thank whoever it was that put up that mistletoe later on.

Finally, they pull away from each other. Her eyes are glittering with elation and tears that threaten to course down her cheeks in her happiness. Len himself seems awed that it even happened at all for a moment, staring at her face before wrapping an arm around her and tugging her close, his forehead meeting hers, their chests so close she can feel his own heartbeat thumping like a drum near her own.

"...Happy birthday, Rin," he whispers like sweet, honeyed velvet in her ear. Every emotion he's feeling is written in those words, and her world becomes so much brighter with just that.

She inhales the musky scent of his proximity, the faint oceanic fragrance of his shampoo and the aura surrounding this scene cast by the wintry background. The snow continue to fall without end outside, but inside it's warm- oh so warm, wrapped in his arm, her hand finding purchase in the thick material of his sweater.

"Happy birthday, Len," she returns with a small kiss to his nose, nuzzling closer and meeting him halfway when he delicately tilts her up for a third, and longer, kiss that pleasantly warms her up inside.

 _I don't feel the cold anymore._

* * *

A/N: **Unbeta'd,** and written listening to ' **Noel's Theme ~Saigo no Tabi~' - FFXIII-2** , and **'Against The World' - Len/Rin.**

Happy ninth birthday to my absolute favorite blondes in the whole world. My sweet children. Thank you for being my light in the darkest of times. Your music will always be my happiness.

I hope everyone who reads this has happy holidays, and congratulations to making it to the end of another year. You're all fighters, all of you are strong and amazing, and I hope my story gave you a reason to smile.

Thank you so much for reading.

Read on~.

~Disclaimer~ I own only too much snow and a dream of perfect kisses, nothing more.


End file.
